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The U.S. women's national team has filed an appeal against a judge's ruling last year in their pay discrimination lawsuit. 

In May 2020, Judge Gary Klausner ruled that the USWNT could not prove that U.S. Soccer financially discriminated against them due to their gender.

What was said?

"If a woman has to work more than a man and be much more successful than him to earn about the same pay, that is decidedly not equal pay and it violates the law. And yet, that is exactly what the women players on the U.S. national team do," USWNT spokeswoman Molly Levinson said.

"They play more games and achieve better results in order to be paid about the same amount as the men’s national team players per game. By any measure, that is not equal pay, and it violates federal law.

"Today, we filed our brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and we are confident the facts show intentional – and ongoing – gender discrimination by the U.S. Soccer Federation. We look forward to presenting our case to the Court."

What happens next?

The appeal process is expected to be a lengthy one, and could last into 2022 or even 2023. U.S. Soccer has said in the past it is willing to meet with the players to discuss an out-of-court settlement.

Earlier this year, U.S. Soccer and the USWNT came to a settlement over working conditions, including flights, venue selection, support staff and hotel accommodations, paving the way for an appeal over pay discrimination.

The USWNT is currently competing at the Olympics in Japan, where they were stunned 3-0 by Sweden to kick off the tournament. 

They will look to bounce back on Saturday when they face New Zealand.

Further reading

Jadon Sancho has identified Cristiano Ronaldo as the Manchester United icon who has had the biggest influence on his playing style.

Sancho completed a move to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund on Friday in a deal worth £73 million ($101m).

The move sees the 21-year-old follow in the path of two of his idols, including the Juventus and Portugal star as well as ex-England striker Wayne Rooney.

What has been said?

Asked who his childhood heroes were in his first interview since joining the Red Devils, Sancho told the club's official website: "Ronaldinho and obviously Wayne Rooney for England – those two are very iconic and great role models.

"I feel like everyone’s different and I feel like I’ve got different attributes to all the other players, but obviously Cristiano Ronaldo and what he’s done in his career is a fantastic thing.

"Where he started at Sporting and then he came to Manchester so it’s always good to see that all these iconic players have come through an iconic club."

Sancho inspired by cage football

The winger was also influenced by cage football in the FIFA Street video game after seeing Brazil and Barcelona icon Ronaldinho pull off tricks in the adverts.  

He said: "To be fair when I was younger, on my estate in south London I just used to watch the older boys playing around and ever since then I just used to join in with them and started to fall in love with it, and then in school it was just always football and even after school it was just football. That’s when it got serious.

"It was definitely cage football – all of that kind of FIFA Street, so when we saw the Ronaldinho adverts of him nutmegging people that’s what we tried to do."

Further reading

Orlando Pirates vice-captain and defender Thulani Hlatshwayo has set his sight on winning the PSL title with the Soweto giants.

The experienced player helped the Buccaneers finish third in the league in the 2020/21 season which was also his debut campaign with the club.

Bucs finished the season 17 points behind champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who won their fourth successive PSL title. 

Pirates are set to take on their arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the 2021 Carling Black Label Cup clash at the Mecca of South African football, Orlando Stadium on August 1.

Hlatshwayo, who led the now-defunct Bidvest Wits to the 2016/17 PSL title, feels that winning the Carling Black Label Cup will set the tone for the rest of the 2021/22 season.

“We hope to start strongly by winning the Black Label Cup to set the tone for the rest of the season,” Hlatshwayo told the media.

“We want to go for the league and make sure we finish in a better position than we did last season.

"We are capable of winning the league because we have a lot of experience and youngsters with the ability to help the team achieve the goal.”

Hlatshwayo also led Wits to the MTN8 title and Telkom Knockout Cup triumphs during his six-year stay with the club as one of the top defenders in the country.

The man nicknamed Tyson also helped Pirates reach the knockout stages of the Caf Confederation Cup in the recent campaign.

However, the Buccaneers were eliminated by eventual champions Raja Casablanca in the quarter-finals with the Moroccan champions winning 5-1 on aggregate. 

The Soweto giants will participate in the 2021/22 Caf Confederation Cup after finishing third in the PSL and Tyson pointed out the experience gained last season will come in handy for his side. 

“For us to go all the way and reach the knockout stage shows that guys were eager to do well,” added Hlatshwayo.

“It was not easy, but the youngsters also grasped a lot of experience and returning to the continent is another opportunity to better the position we finished last season.”

The Bafana Bafana captain played 29 matches across all competitions for Pirates in the recent season.

New Leicester City signing Patson Daka has been left amazed by the quality of facilities put in place at the Foxes’ training ground.

Daka, who moved to England from RB Salzburg in June, has linked up with his new teammates at Seagrave where they are preparing for the 2021-22 Premier League season.

The 22-year-old reflected on the warm welcome he received and how Brendan Rodgers’ team have helped him to adapt to his new environment.

"So far, it has been really good. I am settling in really well. I think it has been so easy for me because everyone here is very nice. It’s like a family here,” Daka told the club’s website.

"It has been so easy for me to settle down because everyone has made it easy for me with the way they have welcomed me. They’ve made me feel like I was part of the team already and I went out on loan and then I came back. That’s how I felt the very first day here.

"They were very excited to see me and I’m even more excited to be part of this amazing group. I’m just looking forward to what is coming ahead."

The Zambia international did not hide his admiration for the Leicester City Training Ground which boasts of 21 playing surfaces, 30 bedrooms, seven buildings including the King Power Centre and Sports Turf Academy amongst others.

"The level of quality is very high and the intensity as well," he continued. "I love it. I really love it. I’m enjoying it because it’s not something new to me. In my previous club, the intensity was also high. There’s not much of a big difference for me, so I’ve really adapted.

"In person, it’s really unbelievable, it’s amazing. It’s something I’ve never seen before. Everything you need is here, so it’s really a great place and I’m happy to be here.”

Daka is in contention to play a part when Leicester City intensify their readiness for the 2021-22 season with a friendly outing against League One club Burton Albion on Saturday.

After scoring 27 goals in 28 Austrian Bundesliga matches last campaign, the 2017 Caf Youth Player of the Year is ready to start a new chapter in England on a good note.

He said: "I’m very much excited [for Burton]. I’m looking forward to the day. Most importantly, also, to contribute to the team, to get to work together now. Because we’ve been playing against each other in training, now we come together to compete with another team.

"I think it’s something I’m really looking forward to. It’s now the time to build connections with the players and to understand each other better and this is a good step to start."

Football Kenya Federation has come out to clarify why Tusker and not Gor Mahia will represent Kenya in the upcoming Cecafa Kagame Cup tournament in Tanzania.

On Friday, Cecafa confirmed ten teams had already confirmed participation in the regional competition to be held between August 1-15 but conspicuously missing from the list were the current Kenyan champions Gor Mahia.

While Gor Mahia have now released a statement stating they will grace the competition, FKF President Nick Mwendwa has confirmed to Goal only Tusker have been cleared to represent the country.

What has been said?

“We are now playing a new Kagame Cup since the previous one was cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic, so the time Gor were to represent the country has been overtaken by events, and instead, Tusker will go for the competition,” Mwendwa told Goal on Friday.

“Cecafa wanted a name of the team to represent Kenya and we settled on Tusker because they are topping the 18-team table but we will also give an official statement to clarify on the same position soon.”

Mwendwa statement contradicting?

The latest statement by Mwendwa seems to have contradicted his earlier one when he told Goal on April 25, 2021, that Gor will represent the country in the competition in August.

“I have not said anything like that, crowning Gor Mahia if the current season is cancelled, we are not ready to cancel the season, what I know the league will be played to the end and we will have a rightful winner,” Mwendwa told Goal.

“It is unfortunate they have written what I did not say, they have just misquoted me, let me put it clearly on what I said, the league will be played to the end but by virtue of winning the same last season, Gor Mahia will be our flag bearers in the Kagame Cup set for August.

Gor Mahia insist they will participate

On Friday, Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier confirmed in a signed statement they will take part in the tournament.

"We would like to confirm our participation in the forthcoming Cecafa Kagame Cup 2021 tournament slated to kick off in Dar es Salaam next month,” read part of the statement obtained by Goal. 

“We will soon send the official list of players and members of the technical bench who will make the trip to represent the country as has been directed by the federation, being the defending league champions.
 
"We look forward to receiving further details with regards to the kickoff dates, to enable us to make the necessary logistical preparations. We are thankful to the federation for the continued support and guidance.”

The teams that have confirmed participation in the 2021 edition are Young Africans SC, Azam FC (Tanzania), Atlabara FC (South Sudan), Le Messager Ngozi FC (Burundi), APR (Rwanda), Express FC, KCCA FC (Uganda), Tusker (Kenya), KMKM SC (Zanzibar), and Nyasa Big Bullets FC (Malawi).

The draw for the tournament will be conducted on Tuesday, July 27, and there will be two pools of four clubs each.

Further FKF Premier League reading 

Tobin Heath and Christen Press are two of the biggest stars of the U.S. women’s national team (USWNT).

Both are two-time World Cup winners, with Heath a two-time Olympic gold medallist too, having made her international debut five years before Press. Yet despite their iconic status in women’s soccer, they both travelled to Japan for this summer’s Olympic Games without clubs.

After leaving Manchester United in June, where could Heath and Press play next?

Will they return to the NWSL?

While playing in England with United, Press and Heath saw their NWSL rights drafted by new expansion side Racing Louisville.

The expansion draft takes place whenever a new team comes into the top league of the United States, with that club able pick the rights to players clubs choose not to protect.

The Portland Thorns and the Utah Royals - now Kansas City NWSL - respectively, chose to leave Heath and Press’ rights unprotected, allowing Louisville to select them.

It was a move that was questioned by many, for several reasons. Firstly, it meant Louisville gave up $150,000 in allocation money. Secondly, both were contracted with United until June. The NWSL Challenge Cup kicked off in April, while the regular season began a month later.

With Louisville also selecting Alanna Kennedy and Caitlin Foord, both playing in the WSL with Tottenham and Arsenal, it meant they had picked four players who wouldn’t be there when the season began.

Louisville still holds the rights to both Heath and Press and for another club to acquire their rights, they would need to complete a trade. The expansion club will know how much both players are worth in those talks, too, so it is unlikely to be a simple deal to complete.

With a large majority of the USWNT having always played in the NWSL both may choose to return to the U.S., particularly given the way the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in many players wishing to return home.

However a lack of communication from Louisville regarding the duo since their contracts in England ended suggests they have not communicated a desire to play for the club.

Which NWSL clubs could trade for Press and Heath?

It has been reported Angel City, the Los Angeles-based expansion club which will play in NWSL in 2022, have held talks with Louisville regarding the rights to Press, who was born in LA. However, their offers have so far been rejected.

Meanwhile, San Diego are also launching a new NWSL team, of which Casey Stoney, the former Man Utd head coach, will be in charge. Heath spoke very highly of Stoney when she moved to England and talked about her being a key factor in her decision to go to Manchester.

Since the announcement of Stoney’s hire, there have inevitably been suggestions that San Diego could be interested in the winger. Given the high calibre of both players, it’s unlikely that there are no other NWSL clubs considering whether they could be options for them, either.

Could Press and Heath stay in Europe?

The other option that both players have, particularly if they do indeed have no intention of playing for Louisville and no trades occur, is to not return to the NWSL just yet.

Press is no stranger to playing football abroad, having spent a lot of time in Sweden over the past 10 years.

She won the Swedish Cup in 2012 and was part of a star-studded Tyreso side, which also featured Brazil icon Marta and fellow USWNT World Cup winner Meghan Klingenberg, that reached the 2014 UEFA Women’s Champions League final.

Heath, meanwhile, spent the 2013/14 season in France with Paris Saint-Germain and expressed many times how much she was enjoying her spell in England, before an injury in January cut her season short.

Once again, given the incredible quality that both players have, there would be plenty of clubs in Europe – and even beyond – that would jump at the chance to bring them onboard, should such an opportunity arise.

Further reading

Jadon Sancho has finally arrived at Manchester United after the Red Devils completed a £73 million ($101m) deal  to sign him from  Borussia Dortmund.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer probably has a fair idea of where he sees the England international fitting in at Old Trafford and the winger will certainly add a new dimension to the attacking options on the team.

But where will he fit in when it comes to the Fantasy Premier League?   Goal takes a look at what Sancho's price and position will be.

What is Jadon Sancho's price on Fantasy Premier League?

Jadon Sancho has not yet been added to the official Premier League fantasy football game yet, so his price remains unknown.

However, given his reputation and stats in the Bundesliga with Dortmund, he is expected to be among the more expensive players available to pick.

Mohamed Salah is the most expensive player on the game at £12.5 million, while Kevin De Bruyne, Sadio Mane and Bruno Fernandes are all £12m.

Sancho is more likely to fall into the category just below the aforementioned players and will probably be priced between  £9m  and £10m.

Marcus Rashford and Riyad Mahrez are comparable players, with Rashford priced at £9.5m, while Manchester City winger Mahrez commands a fee of £9m.

In the Bundesliga last season, Sancho scored eight goals and supplied 11 assists in 26 appearances.

Rashford hit a similar number with 11 goals and nine assists in the league, while Mahrez scored nine and claimed eight assists.

What position is Jadon Sancho on Fantasy Premier League?

Sancho's position in Fantasy Premier League has not yet been confirmed, but it looks likely that he will be a midfielder rather than a forward on the 2021-22 game.

Rashford and Mason Greenwood, who both play in similar roles to Sancho, are both designated as midfielders and the new addition should follow suit, in theory.

Indeed, other Premier League players who play in a similar real-world role to Sancho include Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Raheem Sterling - all of whom are midfielders on FPL.

There has been some controversy over the years in the official Premier League fantasy football games, with players complaining that certain players are or are not designated properly to a position.

In 2020-21, for example, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was a midfielder, but he has been changed to a forward for 2021-22.

Leeds United's Stuart Dallas, meanwhile, was initially a defender in the 2020-21 season, despite playing more as a winger, and he has been re-designated as a midfielder in 2021-22.

Strictly speaking, Sancho would be considered a forward in the real world, regularly playing as part of a forward line, but he is not a traditional striker. 

Wingers have traditionally been considered part of the midfield, but the modern game has seen them evolve.

More fantasy football news & tips

Myles Peart-Harris has become the latest youngster to head through the exits at Chelsea, with the teenage midfielder making the short trip across west London to Brentford.

The highly-rated 18-year-old, who joins Marc Guehi and Lewis Bate in severing ties with Stamford Bridge, has signed a four-year contract with the Premier League new boys.

He had spent close to a decade with the Blues, but is now taking a new challenge with the Bees as they prepare for life back among English football's elite.

What has been said? 

Brentford boss Thomas Frank told the club's official website: “Myles is a very talented young player and an exciting signing for us. We see him playing as an ‘eight’ in our system and he fits the position profile perfectly for that. He is a dynamic midfield player, and he drives forward with the ball.

"Myles has great quality on the ball. He can score goals and deliver assists for us. He is great at arriving in the penalty area at the right time. 

"There is also lots of development potential for our coaches to work with. We think there will be lots of areas where he will get better, particularly defensively, but he has some great attributes, and we believe we can maximise his potential."

Phil Giles, Brentford's co-director of football, added: "Over recent seasons we have made sure we have found as many opportunities as possible to give young players a chance to play and develop. Even though we are now playing at a higher level, that principle is one we want to maintain. 

"With that in mind we are looking forward to seeing Myles earn his opportunity and hopefully he can be another young player to make an impact at Brentford."

Any other business?

Peart-Harris will not be the last youngster to head out of Chelsea this summer, with other deals being lined up.

It is understood that Ian Maatsen, the 19-year-old Dutch left-back, is set to link up with Coventry on a season-long loan.

Former Blues academy coach Aidy Viveash is now with the Sky Blues and has helped to convince the defender that his ongoing development would be best served by a spell in the Championship.

Further reading

Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Gor Mahia have finally confirmed they are going to take part in the upcoming Cecafa Kagame Cup.
 
The latest move by the heavyweights adds the number of Kenyan teams to two after Tusker, who were among the first outfits to confirm readiness for the regional club competition that will be held in Tanzania.

"We would like to confirm our participation in the forthcoming Cecafa Kagame Cup 2021 tournament slated to kick off in Dar es Salaam next month," a letter from Gor Mahia's chairman Ambrose Rachier, to FKF and obtained by Goal, read.
 
"We will soon send the official list of players and members of the technical bench who will make the trip to represent the country as has been directed by the federation, being the defending league champions.
 
"We look forward to receiving further details with regards to the kickoff dates, to enable us to make the necessary logistical preparations. We are thankful to the federation for the continued support and guidance."
 

Simba SC opted not to participate in the competition and that leaves Tanzania with Azam FC and Yanga SC.

The two Tanzanian representatives are set to use the tournament as preparation to participate in the Caf competitions next season. Azam grabbed the Confederation Cup slot while Yanga, as well as Simba, will feature in the Champions League.

Kampala Capital City Authority - the title holders and Express FC, who lifted the 2020/21 Premier League trophy - are Uganda's representatives. Malawi Premier League champions Nyasa Big Bullets have also confirmed their participation as a guest team.

Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, and Somalia -  other members of the Cecafa family - are yet to confirm whether any of their teams will be part of the tournament. The clubs' competition will begin when the U23 Cecafa Cup - currently ongoing in northern Ethiopia - will end in late July.

Teams that have confirmed participation in the Cecafa Kagame Cup 2021 are Young Africans SC, Azam FC (Tanzania), Atlabara FC (South Sudan), Le Messager Ngozi FC (Burundi), APR (Rwanda), Express FC, KCCA FC (Uganda), Tusker FC and Gor Mahia (Kenya), KMKM SC (Zanzibar), Big Bullets FC (Malawi).

Sadio Mane believes the 2021-22 campaign will be a positive one for him and Liverpool, with the Senegalese forward expecting big things from a refreshed and fully fit Reds squad.

Jurgen Klopp's side endured a testing season last time out, as injury struggles conspired against the defending Premier League champions.

They battled through those issues to secure a third-place finish and Champions League qualification, and key men are now back and ready to hit the ground running in a fresh bid for more major silverware.

What has been said?

Mane, who hit 16 goals last season, told Liverpool's official website when asked if he is feeling in better shape this time around: "Yeah, sure. I think it’s always important as a player to have a break because I can say since I came to Liverpool this was the first time I have had four weeks or more holidays, so I think that sometimes helps a lot. 

"I could see from day one that everybody was looking sharp, which for me was unbelievable! I am not complaining about having one week or two weeks’ holiday, but I think it’s always extra [helpful] for us to have this long period of holiday. 

"At the same time we have been working in individual training [during the summer], which is also important because you could see from day one that everybody was looking sharp and ready to go for the new season."

Mane added on his exploits from 2020-21 and the need to raise standards in the upcoming campaign: "Well, I think like I said at the beginning, and when I said it, I meant it, for sure. It was not my best season, which I know. 

"Like I always said, it can happen in football but I think it won’t be the same [next] season. For sure, I am more ready, mentally, physically, everything, so I think it will be for myself an exciting season."

Can Liverpool challenge again?

The Reds enjoyed a memorable couple of years as they collected Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, World Club Cup and Premier League crowns, but the wheels fell off in spectacular style.

Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip proved to be big misses at the back, while other players spent time on the treatment table during 2020-21.

Klopp is back to full strength now, and that is giving Mane and co cause for optimism ahead of a season opener against newly-promoted Norwich on August 14.

"I think not only me, I think everybody [is excited]! As a player we all become like fans because if you see your team-mate getting back in training and fit, you just say, 'Wow!'" added Mane. 

"When I see Virgil, Joe and Joel, after every training session I say, 'My friend, how are you feeling?' because I think to have everybody back in the team is just incredible. 

"Because we know what they are capable of doing for the team and for us the most important thing is the team, so having those players fit, 100 per cent – I think you can always see the smiles of the boys and say: 'Wow, what a season it’s going to be for us again'."

Further reading

Jadon Sancho has become Manchester United's first major signing of the summer transfer window, but what qualities will he bring to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's squad? Goal is on hand to tell you everything you need to know about the talented young attacker. 

Sancho has been officially unveiled at Old Trafford, having committed to a five-year deal that will see him remain on the Red Devils' books through to 2026.

In case you are unfamiliar with the 21-year-old and his style of play, Goal has come up with an extensive profile of a man who will be expected to make a big impact on the Premier League stage in 2021-22.

Who is Jadon Sancho?

Sancho is a professional footballer who has just completed a switch to United from Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

The winger initially rose through the youth ranks at Watford before joining the Red Devils' arch-rivals Manchester City in 2015.

He spent two years in City's academy set-up but was ultimately unable to break into Pep Guardiola's first-team squad, and chose to up sticks and join Dortmund with a view to taking in regular first-team minutes.

Sancho quickly became one of BVB's most influential players, and finished his spell at Westfalenstadion with 50 goals and 57 assists to his name through 137 appearances across all competitions.

The Englishman departed on a high note by helping the club win the DFB Pokal and finish fourth in the Bundesliga, ensuring their participation in the Champions League for an 11th successive year.

How much did Jadon Sancho cost Manchester United?

United agreed to pay an initial fee of £73 million ($101m) for Sancho, which makes him the fourth most expensive signing in the club's history.

Why have United signed Sancho?

Goal's Manchester United correspondent Charlotte Duncker: "United have been lacking a natural right-sided winger for years, which is why Solskjaer has always been so keen on signing Sancho, who has racked up 50 goals and 57 assists in 137 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund.

"In the past, the Norwegian has been forced to play the two-footed and incredibly versatile Mason Greenwood out wide, leaving Anthony Martial and Edinson Cavani to battle for the centre-forward role. 

"However, Greenwood prefers to play through the middle, so the acquisition of Sancho will mean his fellow England international will now be free to stake a claim for a starting spot in his best position.

"The increase in competition for places will also ensure that Solskjaer will always have a couple of potential game-changers on the bench."

Which position does Sancho play?

Sancho is primarily viewed as a natural right-winger, with his lightning pace, superb dribbling skills and eye for goal making him a nightmare for defenders.

However, the former Dortmund star is also capable of operating on the left or in a number 10 role due to his ability to play with both feet and create openings in the final third with his impressive passing range.

Sancho will likely slot straight in on the right-hand side of Solskjaer's attack to begin with, but will have to prove his worth quickly amid strong competition for places in the final third.

The presence of fellow countrymen Marcus Rashford, Greenwood, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire will likely help him settle in at Old Trafford as United look to bring their five-year trophy drought to an end in the upcoming campaign.

What national team does Sancho play for?

Sancho became a full senior England international in 2018, having previously represented his country at Under-16, 17 and 19 levels.

United's latest acquisition has since racked up 22 appearances for the Three Lions, including three at this summer's European Championship.

Sancho was unable to add to his haul of three international goals at the tournament, though, and missed a decisive penalty in England's final shootout defeat to Italy at Wembley.

What is Sancho's FIFA 21 rating & potential?

Jadon Sancho's overall rating in FIFA 21 is 87, with a potential of 92.

He has got a five-star skill moves rating. He prefers to shoot with his right foot and his workrates are High/Medium.

Sancho's best stats are Dribbling (92), Agility (91), Ball Control (90), Balance (90) and Vision (87).

Erling Haaland is "not yet a world-class player", with Borussia Dortmund legend Jurgen Kohler considering Kylian Mbappe to boast greater potential.

Two exciting attacking talents are being tipped to become the next superstars of world football as they follow in the footsteps of all-time greats Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Dortmund great Kohler, who won two Bundesliga titles and the Champions League with the club, is a big fan of a Norwegian forward tearing up German football, but feels there is still work for him to do.

What has been said?

Kohler told Ruhr Nachrichten of Haaland: "He's not yet a world-class player. He's a top striker and has all the skills to do so, but he still has to prove that.

"He's missing that certain extra class out of nowhere. At 21 he has already come so far. That is extraordinary. I am sure that he will always find tools so that he cannot be stopped. With experience comes world class."

Is Mbappe better than Haaland?

Mbappe has the more enviable medal collection, with the France international boasting four Ligue 1 titles and a World Cup win on his roll of honour.

The 22-year-old has scored 132 goals in just 171 appearances for PSG, with 42 of those efforts coming last season.

Haaland almost matched that return at Dortmund, as he found the target on 41 occasions, and has netted 57 times for the club in 59 outings.

Kohler is understandably impressed by two of the hottest prospects around, but feels French flair just edges things at present.

The 1990 World Cup winner added: "Kylian Mbappe has the greatest potential. I see him more as a world-class footballer, because he doesn't just rely on speed. What does he do? Short hooks, short ball control - Mbappe doesn't do anything rash."

Further reading

Chelsea have announced the signing of Lauren James from Manchester United, for what Goal understands to be a record fee between Women's Super League clubs.

The deal is believed to be worth an initial £200,000, rising to £300,000 with add-ons, making it the biggest ever transfer between two clubs in the league.

James struggled with injuries this past season in Manchester but, ranking at No.4 in Goal's 2020 NXGN list, the 19-year-old remains one of the most exciting young talents in world football and has signed a four-year contract.

What has been said?

Speaking about her return to the club, having played for Chelsea's Academy from Under-10 to Under-14 level, James said: "It’s a great feeling to come back home, to a great club, the club I started at the age of six.

"To be able to play for the first team now and come back here to Emma [Hayes, Chelsea manager] and the rest of the group is a good feeling. I’m excited to get started and I can’t wait to meet all the fans at Kingsmeadow when the new season kicks in."

Hayes added: "Lauren is an exciting, young talent who we have admired for a while.

"When the opportunity came up to sign her, we felt now was the right time to bring her back to the club. We’re excited to see how she develops in the coming years and look forward to welcoming her to pre-season training."

What will James bring to Chelsea?

A dynamic, powerful forward, James' close control, fantastic dribbling ability and strength on the ball make her a nightmare for defenders. She can strike the ball with either foot and is deadly both in the box as well as outside of it, such is her ability from range.

The teenager hasn't got a full WSL season under her belt, with injuries limiting her in both 2019-20 and 2020-21, while the former season was also curtailed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, with eight goals in just 14 starts in the top flight so far, it's clear that when she can get a real run of games together, she will be a force.

James will have to compete more than ever for that starting spot, though, which could bring even more out of her. Hayes' Chelsea are stacked in the attacking department, with the likes of Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder and Fran Kirby among the manager's options.

What next for Manchester United?

The sale of James will be another tough pill to swallow for United fans, who also saw head coach Casey Stoney leave at the end of last season. She has since been announced as the head coach of San Diego, the new NWSL expansion side.

U.S. women's national team duo Christen Press and Tobin Heath also departed upon the season's end, while defender Amy Turner, a star performer in 2020-21, has joined the Orlando Pride. With Jess Sigsworth and Abbie McManus also both joining newly-promoted Leicester City, the squad is rather depleted.

However, even though no new manager has been announced yet, United have made two signings this week - Vilde Boe Risa, a highly-rated Norwegian midfielder from Sandviken, and Hannah Blundell, a three-time England international defender who was part of Chelsea's double-winning season, arriving at the club.

Further reading

Manchester United have completed the signing of Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £73 million ($101m).

The England international, who was part of the Three Lions squad that finished runners-up at Euro 2020, becomes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first signing of the summer after he successfully completed a medical and agreed personal terms to join the Red Devils.

And with United having now confirmed the transfer is complete, Sancho will add to an impressive forward line at Old Trafford that includes the likes of Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial.

How much have United paid?

After a long-running transfer saga that started well over a year ago, United finally agreed a fee with Dortmund for the right-winger earlier this month. It is understood the agreement between the two sides is for just short of £73m ($101m) and there are no add-ons included in the deal. 

United tried to land Sancho last summer but the two clubs were far apart on their valuation and ultimately an agreement could not be reached. 

He ultimately expressed his desire to return to the Premier League, however, with Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke confirming on July 1 that the Bundesliga club were reluctantly allowing Sancho to leave.

He has signed a five-year deal with the option for a further year. 

What has been said?

In a statement confirming his signing Sancho said: “I’ll always be grateful to Dortmund for giving me the opportunity to play first-team football, although I always knew that I would return to England one day.

"The chance to join Manchester United is a dream come true and I just cannot wait to perform in the Premier League. This is a young and exciting squad and I know, together, we can develop into something special to bring the success that the fans deserve. I am looking forward to working with the manager and his coaching team to further develop my game.”

Solskjaer added: “Jadon epitomises the type of player I want to bring to the club, he is a forward player in the best traditions of Manchester United. He will form an integral part of my squad for years to come and we look forward to seeing him blossom. His goals and assists records speak for themselves and he will also bring tremendous pace, flair
and creativity to the team.

"Old Trafford will give him the platform he needs to release his untapped talent and perform at the highest level. For a player of his age, Jadon has already achieved a great deal and showed the courage to go and prove himself abroad. We all look forward to welcoming Jadon to the squad as we prepare for the new campaign.”

When will he join up with his team-mates? 

Sancho was part of Gareth Southgate's England squad for this summer's European Championship and has consequently been given holiday.

All of the players involved on international duty have been given three weeks off from their last involvement which means Sancho could be training with his new team-mates in the first week of August.

United have a number of pre-season friendlies booked in. The next is against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday and Sancho could be available for their final friendly against Everton at Old Trafford on August 7.

Further reading

Steven Gerrard says managing Everton is "never a possibility" for him, with the Liverpool legend airing his surprise at being linked with the Toffees in the wake of Carlo Ancelotti's departure from Goodison Park.

Success at Scottish giants Rangers, who he led to title glory last season, has seen the coaching stock of the ex-England captain soar.

A return to a Premier League stage is now being mooted, with Gerrard also linked with Spurs at one stage, but the 41-year-old is happy where he is and insists he was never going to take the same decision as his former boss Rafa Benitez and head back to Merseyside.

What has been said?

Quizzed by ESPN on Benitez taking charge of Everton and the talk of him being in that frame, Gerrard said: "Rafa wasn't born in the city, he's not a red through-and-through and he never played against Everton for 20 years and competed against them, so I think it's a very different situation [to mine].

"Rafa is his own man and will make his own professional decisions, so there's no surprise that he wanted to get back in the Premier League at a big club and have the opportunity to compete against all the top teams in the league, so I wasn't very shocked and surprised at all in all honesty.

"I was very shocked and surprised that my name was linked to the job. I don't know where it came from, whether it was paper talk or if there was any truth in it, I'm not sure.

"[Managing Everton] is never a possibility as far as I'm concerned."

Ancelotti's interest

Italian tactician Ancelotti has severed ties with Everton and returned to Real Madrid for a second spell at Santiago Bernabeu.

He is a proven performer at the very highest level, as a player and manager, and Gerrard is a big fan.

There was once a chance for him to link up with Ancelotti at AC Milan, when the all-action midfielder was at the peak of his powers, but an approach from San Siro was never put to Gerrard and he had no big career call to make.

He added: "Liverpool never brought that to me, so they must have kept that a secret.

"I did actually see the interview that [Ancelotti] did on that and it was very flattering and very humbling for sure.

"I was very happy at Liverpool. There was no way any team in the world would have got me away from there at that time, going into the peak years of my career from a personal point of view and I was really happy and content to try to be successful at Liverpool but when a name like Carlo Ancelotti or AC Milan talk about wanting you as a player, it is certainly very flattering."

Further reading

Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign teenage winger Bobby Clark from Newcastle, Goal can confirm.

The 16-year-old, regarded as one of the brightest prospects at the Magpies’ academy, is expected to move to Merseyside in time for the new season, where he will join up with Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s U18s side.

Liverpool will have to pay a compensation fee for Clark, and if a deal between the clubs cannot be agreed then it will be settled by a tribunal.

Who is Bobby Clark?

Clark is the son of former Newcastle, Sunderland and Fulham midfielder Lee, and made history in 2019 when becoming the youngest player to feature for Newcastle’s U18 team, aged just 14 years and 206 days.

He has represented England at schoolboy level, and has regularly been linked with some of Europe’s top clubs.

Indeed, his father was forced to deny reports a deal had been agreed with Tottenham, while Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are also said to have been keen.

Newcastle, it is understood, have made Clark an offer to stay at St James’ Park, but he is instead expected to move to Liverpool in the next few weeks, once the finer points of the switch are finalised.

Where will he play at Liverpool?

He will begin under Bridge-Wilkinson with the Reds’ U18 side, which is set to feature a host of new faces as several members of last season’s team, which reached the FA Youth Cup final, move up to the U23s.

Kaide Gordon, the 16-year-old signed from Derby in January, is with Jurgen Klopp’s senior squad at their pre-season camp in Austria, while the likes of Tyler Morton, Conor Bradley and Billy Koumetio are expected to move up.

Two more January signings, Stefan Bajcetic and Calum Scanlon, should feature prominently for the U18s this season, as should the likes of Oakley Cannonier, who made his return from injury in the first friendly of the summer, a 2-0 win over Birmingham at Kirkby on Wednesday.

Ethan Ennis, meanwhile, is set to leave the club, with Manchester United likeliest to sign the 16-year-old attacking midfielder, who scored five times for Liverpool’s U18s last season. Ennis has also been attracting interest from Chelsea.

Further reading 

Daniel Akpeyi, it seems, must regularly defend himself in light of critics and their inclination to find a new stick to beat him with every now and again.

At 34, the Kaizer Chiefs shot-stopper still divides opinion for club and country. The ex-Chippa United man has never truly won the trust of Nigeria fans, owing to his chequered time with the Super Eagles.

There was a sense he’d run out of chances following a schoolboy error in a friendly against Argentina in 2017, but he recovered to largely thrive at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Akpeyi’s return to the Nigeria reckoning can be ascribed to the utter uncertainty between the sticks for Gernot Rohr’s men, following the retirement of Vincent Enyeama and Carl Ikeme.

Francis Uzoho and Ikechukwu Ezenwa have had their chances, with the former initially thriving before a dip in performances pre-injury exacerbated the evident concern.

Sparta Rotterdam’s Maduka Okoye holds the reins at the moment, with the German tactician naming the young goalkeeper his first-choice in an interview with ESPN in February.

“No. 1 is Maduka. These decisions, I take them with [goalkeeper coach Alloy Agu] because he is a specialist for goalkeeper training,” Rohr said at the time. “We agreed that it's actually Maduka. We have the experienced [Daniel Akpeyi] doing good matches with this club in South Africa.

“We have the young [Francis Uzoho] coming back after injury, but he has to play also now not only on the bench.”

Ostensibly, Rohr’s pecking order has Okoye as the undisputed choice, with Akpeyi and Uzoho behind the 21-year-old shot-stopper. In a sense, this represents progress for the Chiefs man, owing to how he appeared to have fallen out of favour after that Argentina gaffe and looked to be behind his replacement and Ezenwa.

Given the African giants’ goalkeeping misfortune since Enyeama, don’t be surprised if another upheaval occurs in the not-so-distant future.

For the Amakhosi, though, remains a particularly interesting story.

Supporters love one-club man Itumeleng Khune, whose contract with the club is nearing expiration. There were reports before the Caf Champions League final that the club were willing to offer a new one-year contract, but nothing has materialised since.

Events in the 3-0 defeat by Al Ahly haven’t helped, with many observers startlingly apportioning blame to the Nigeria man, despite being blameless. Unsurprisingly, Akpeyi bit back.

“Every champion has once lost a fight (sadly so), but they’ve never lost their dream no matter the opinion about them, nature does conform to them at the right time,” Akpeyi wrote on Instagram.

“To everyone who has been standing with them through thick and thin, I salute your courage, when the limits are broken, all the joy that is assumed to be lost you will receive them in one package I’m grateful to have come this far.”

Indeed, it was amazing that the Nnewi-born goalie for how the South African side’s first Caf CL final panned out. He didn’t receive his marching orders to leave his team in the lurch, neither was he at fault for any of the goals.

In the opening half, he even smothered crosses into his zone to relieve pressure on his side. Indeed, the finger-pointing is utterly bemusing.

Whether the West African taking the place of Khune is responsible for the opprobrium is anyone’s guess, but it’ll be unfair if that has prompted the latest bout of fault-finding.

It was refreshing to see Akpeyi receive some support from former Sunshine Stars goalkeeper, Olumide Akinroyeje, who labelled criticism of the experienced goalie “unwarranted”.

“I feel it is unwarranted blaming Akpeyi for Kaizer Chiefs’ loss to Al Ahly. He did his best and we must accept the fact that the Egyptians were the better side,” Akinroyeje told Goal. “The red card no doubt slowed down the South Africans and destabilized their game plan against the well-organised Egyptians, but they did not help matters for themselves as they preferred to sit back instead of moving forward."

“Seeing how Chiefs were defending in the second half, I knew they were going to make errors. That led to pressure on the defenders and the goalkeeper was meant to pay for that.

“In football, defending starts in front and not only in the last line. So, I won’t agree with those saying Akpeyi cost his team victory," he concluded. "The final score was not an accurate reflection of his performance.”

The aforementioned analysis of proceedings seems balanced and a fairer reflection of what ensued in Morocco.

There has to be a tinge of irritation on the Nigerian’s part, owing to the big part he played in Chiefs reaching their first Champions League final.

His man of the match performance in the semi-final second leg meeting with Wydad kept the score on the day goalless, with his seven saves allowing the SA side progress 1-0 on aggregate.

The subsequent censure had to have hurt. Nevertheless, Akpeyi has had to deal with aspersions for the majority of this career and he’ll back himself to prove naysayers wrong...again.

A path to reclaiming the No. 1 spot under Rohr may be unclear, but events at Chiefs in the following months will be interesting especially if Khune eventually agrees to stay on for another year.

The three-way battle involving Akpeyi, Khune and Bruce Bvuma for the goalkeeping position will certainly be all shades of fun for every neutral!